The invention relates to an image processing apparatus connected to an external device through a network.
An image processing apparatus such as a multi-functional peripheral having many functions including a scanner function or the like or a file server is a network device, and files or documents can be registered and processed from an external device connected through a network. In a hard disk drive in the image processing apparatus can store many documents in a storage device wherein a storage medium is divided into storage areas. Each of the storage areas is called a box. An external device sends a file to the image processing apparatus, and the file may be stored as a document in a box. A user can instruct an operation such as copy or print for a file stored in the box. As to an external device such as a computer connected to the image processing apparatus, when the external device provides a box and the image processing apparatus registers the box, a user of the image processing apparatus can operate or process files stored in the external box.
When a document in a box is processed with an operation panel or the like in the image processing apparatus, a document list is displayed in a screen for reference for the user. Then, a user can operate a desired file (document). However, if the number of documents to be displayed is large, it is necessary to scroll the screen to find a file of interest, and it may take a long time until the file is found.
As will be explained later, an operation history is referred to in the invention in the display of a document list in an image processing apparatus. It is known to refer operation history for various operations in a computer or in a network system. For example, if there are many files having a use history, it may take a long time to find a file even when the files having a use history is displayed. Then, a computer described in Japanese Patent laid open Publication 2002-244788 manages the use situation and a use history of files for each application program, and displays a file list according to the use history for the each application program. In a system explained in Japanese Patent laid open Publication 8-255114/1996, an access history of information resources is described in a history file when an information resource is accessed through a network. When a request of access is received from a user, the addresses (information resources) can be displayed in the order of access frequency by referring to the history file. In a file server described in Japanese Patent laid open Publication 2004-110549, data shared in the network is accessed, and a folder to be displayed is changed according to the access right of a log-in user. Only files having the access right are displayed, so that a user can easily understand whether the user has the access right or not. In an image processing apparatus described in Japanese Patent laid open Publication 2004-6475, when print is requested at the same time from a plurality of outputs among copy, fax receive, PC print and stored file, the priority order for the print is determined based on the run history information and the use of the printer is allowed according to the priority order. In an image processing apparatus described in Japanese Patent laid open Publication 2003-15882, storage sites of various programs are stored in a folder in the image processing apparatus, and they are shown for a server or a client. Thus, the positions of the programs become clear.